Hideous Gifts

Guin Catto sits mourning the death of her ancient dog. But her younger dog tries to cheer her by bringing a gift of some object he’s found. Naturally it isn’t just any object: it is the arm of a girl, a teenager who’s disappeared from Hornbridge Academy. The case seems to Armie to be mixed up with the suicide of a twelve-year-old boy. Then again, it could be linked with sadistic attacks on pet cats. The victim’s stepfather insists she was killed by her teenage boyfriend, Ross. But Ross too believes he knows who killed her. Or rather he’s narrowed it down to two. But which is it? There’s another horror he’s certain about: his little brother Darren is evil. But Ross isn’t about to tell anyone. Now his girlfriend’s killer is after him; to make matters worse, if such things could be, his art teacher thinks he’s rubbish. While Armie and Fabe fail to avert a second murder, Ross goes on the run. He’s down on the coast, in fact he’s at sea in a winter storm as pitiless as the killer. But wind and tide are drawing Armie and the killer together… ‘I sat up all night to finish Hideous Gifts.’ – Ruth Channing